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Washington Trust Bank employees launched a Senior Fraud Awareness workshop series in April 2023 to combat rising scams targeting older adults, after branch staff witnessed seniors being pressured to withdraw cash while on phone calls with scammers. The trio of bank managers has conducted five workshops in Spokane senior living communities and plans to expand regionally, providing FTC data, practical fraud prevention tips, and resources for reporting elder fraud. According to federal data, older adults lost over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023 alone, with estimates suggesting actual losses could reach $61.5 billion.

This educational article outlines common scams targeting seniors—including phone scams, phishing, romance fraud, investment schemes, charity scams, home repair fraud, identity theft, and grandparent scams—and provides practical prevention strategies. Key protective measures include being skeptical of unsolicited contact, safeguarding personal information, avoiding rushed decisions, recognizing communication red flags, verifying identities before trusting, staying informed about technology, and building a support network. The article emphasizes that seniors can protect themselves and their finances through knowledge and vigilance, offering resources like the AARP Fraud Watch Network and National Elder Fraud Hotline for additional support.

In November, the city of Athens fell victim to a sophisticated phishing and email compromise scam that cost over $700,000 in public funds. Scammers accessed Pepper Construction's email system, created nearly identical fake email addresses, and intercepted communications about a fire station construction invoice, convincing city employees to switch payment to a fraudulent bank account controlled by the criminals. Between April 2023 and 2024, at least 23 Ohio local government offices lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to similar cyber crimes, with the state auditor's office now recommending employees verify payment method changes independently and warning of future investigations into agencies that fail to follow security protocols.

**Summary:** Rockland County officials warned of fake contractors scamming homeowners by impersonating legitimate roofing companies and using scare tactics to convince victims they need urgent structural repairs. At least three homeowners were defrauded of tens of thousands of dollars, including one woman who paid $60,000 for unnecessary roof work and another who signed a $78,000 contract for fraudulent repairs; the scammers even asked victims to write the real company names on checks to appear legitimate.

This educational article identifies six common online scams and their warning signs: phishing scams (impersonating trusted companies via email/text to steal credentials), investment scams (promising unrealistic returns through unregulated platforms), job offer scams (requesting upfront payments or personal information for fraudulent positions), and tech support scams (using fake alerts to trick users into paying for unnecessary services or granting device access). Key prevention strategies include verifying sender information directly with companies, researching investment opportunities with licensed professionals, being skeptical of unsolicited offers, and avoiding clicking links or granting remote access to unknown parties.

The Nevada State Contractors Board issued a consumer alert warning homeowners, particularly seniors, to watch for contractor scams during summer months, including unsolicited door-to-door offers and suspicious online advertisements. Red flags include requests for cash-only payments, "free" inspections, pressure tactics, and mismatched company information, while protective measures include verifying contractor license numbers, obtaining multiple bids, and confirming employee status through the Board's website before hiring.

The Pleasant Community Education Outreach Service (CEOS) in Point Pleasant, West Virginia held a meeting on March 13 where member Elaine Matheny presented an educational lesson on scams targeting senior citizens, covering ten types of fraud including telephone scams, IRS scams, romance scams, tech support scams, and lottery scams, along with prevention tips. The lesson, written by Gina Taylor and Carter Taylor, was designed to educate the community on how to recognize and avoid common elder fraud schemes.

According to the Better Business Bureau's 2024 Scam Tracker Risk Report, cryptocurrency investment scams top the list of riskiest frauds, with 80 percent of victims losing an average of $5,000 through fake exchanges and pressure tactics. The report identifies five major scam categories affecting consumers: employment scams (involving fake job offers and training fees), romance scams (targeting people in online relationships), online purchase scams (non-delivery of goods), and home improvement scams (particularly prevalent after severe weather, involving door-to-door solicitors who take payment without completing work).

Following a hailstorm in Bryan, Texas, scammers targeted residents with roofing repair schemes, including calls falsely claiming roof evaluations were already scheduled. Local realtor Raylene Lewis warned that victims have been defrauded through incomplete or substandard work, or by paying scammers who then disappear, and advised residents to hire only local, reputable roofers who work directly with insurance companies.

Following Cyclone Alfred, cyber security experts warn of a surge in disaster-related scams targeting vulnerable victims, including unannounced contractor fraud, phishing emails impersonating insurers, fake donation campaigns, and imposters posing as government and relief agencies. AUCyber recommends victims file insurance claims through official channels, verify contractor credentials, avoid upfront payments, check email sender addresses, and report suspicious activity to ScamWatch to protect themselves during cleanup and recovery efforts.

A Suamico, Wisconsin woman was targeted by an elaborate phone scam in which scammers impersonating Medicare, pharmacies, and her doctors convinced her that her Medicare benefits had been terminated and coerced her into providing her Medicare number. The scammers then instructed her to accept unnecessary medical equipment (back braces, knee braces, and wrist braces), which were subsequently mailed to her; she refused the packages and obtained a new Medicare number after contacting the real Medicare to verify the fraud. The Wisconsin Senior Medical Patrol warns that Medicare never contacts people unsolicited to request personal information or Medicare numbers and does not terminate benefits in this manner.

An 82-year-old woman named Julie from Fayette County was scammed out of approximately $270,000 after receiving calls from people impersonating her bank who claimed there was an insider threat and convinced her to secretly withdraw funds via cashier's checks sent to multiple domestic addresses. Unlike many fraud cases where money is quickly converted to cryptocurrency and lost overseas, this case had a rare positive outcome: a UPS worker recognized one of the destination addresses in Waco, Texas as flagged by law enforcement, leading to the interception of the checks and recovery of all stolen funds. The article introduces an ongoing series about local scams and emphasizes that financial fraud is the most common and financially devastating crime affecting

This article reports on federal law enforcement arrests of undocumented immigrants with criminal records in Massachusetts during early 2025, including individuals charged with sexual assault, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses. The cases involved coordination between DEA, ICE, and local police, with one suspect remaining in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and another wanted for felony drug trafficking in Brazil. The article does not contain information related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse and is therefore outside the scope of the Elderus database.

New York reported a 44% increase in internet fraud complaints in 2024, with over 3,700 cases, driven by rising account takeover schemes and AI-enabled phishing techniques including synthesized voice calls. Cybersecurity experts attribute the surge to attackers exploiting human vulnerabilities, and recommend consumers use strong multi-factor authentication, separate passwords, and account change notifications to protect themselves.

At least two dozen elderly and vulnerable people across multiple states lost over $1 million to a construction fraud scheme perpetrated by James Dinnigan, Martin Maughan, and recruited foreign nationals posing as legitimate home repair contractors. The scammers lured victims through false advertisements, then deliberately damaged their properties and coerced them into paying tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars for unnecessary repairs through intimidation and threats. Most victims were located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

The Better Business Bureau's 2024 Risk Report identifies investment and cryptocurrency scams as the highest-risk fraud type with a median loss of $5,000, followed by employment scams ($1,500 median loss) and romance scams ($6,099 median loss—the highest per-victim cost and ranked third for the first time). Scammers typically invest significant time building relationships with victims, with online and home improvement scams also among the top five reported fraud categories.

**Article:** "What can I do about all these scams? Tips and tricks to keep you and your loved ones safe" Beaufort County, South Carolina residents—particularly older adults—face a high risk of scams, with the state ranking seventh nationally for fraud cases. Common schemes targeting seniors include cryptocurrency scams (up 900% since 2020), contractor fraud, phone solicitation, and religious impersonation scams. The FTC advises identifying scams by recognizing when scammers impersonate legitimate organizations, create false urgency or prize claims, and pressure immediate action or unusual payment methods.

Middlesex County, New Jersey is hosting a free Senior Fraud Prevention Conference on March 14, 2025, in partnership with the County Prosecutor's Office to educate older adults, caregivers, and service providers about scams targeting seniors. The conference will cover common fraud schemes including online, phone, and door-to-door scams, with expert guidance from law enforcement on protecting personal information and financial security. Registration is required and closes March 10.

Standard Chartered Bank partnered with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to conduct monthly digital literacy workshops for seniors aged 50-90 from August 2024 to February 2025, addressing Singapore's 16.3% rise in scam cases in the first half of 2024. The workshops taught seniors how to identify and protect themselves from fake friend, investment, and phishing scams, with 120 participants and 70 bank volunteers participating in hands-on training sessions. The initiative, part of a corporate volunteering program, demonstrates how partnerships between financial institutions and government agencies can raise fraud awareness and help vulnerable populations avoid becoming victims of self-effected transfer

Elderly people aged 60 and older lost approximately $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, an 11% increase from the previous year, with seniors targeted because they hold significant wealth and are susceptible to increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics. The most common scams affecting seniors include romance scams (averaging $2,000 per victim), investment/cryptocurrency scams, gift card scams, texting scams, home improvement scams, and imposter scams, which often involve refined variations of traditional schemes rather than entirely new tactics. Experts recommend staying connected with elderly loved ones and remaining vigilant about suspicious offers that create artificial time pressure or build false relationships, as scammers exploit lon

On February 13, the Shelter Island Public Library hosted an educational Zoom presentation on senior scams led by Tom McCann of Senior Services of North America, covering common fraud schemes including phone scams, sweepstakes/lottery fraud, home improvement cons, and reverse mortgage scams. McCann emphasized that seniors are particularly vulnerable due to loneliness, increased home time, unfamiliarity with technology, and potential disabilities, and recommended protective measures such as recognizing red flags (urgency, requests for money, and offers that seem too good to be true), using the do-not-call list, monitoring credit reports, and enabling two-factor authentication.

Dennis Jones, 82, lost his life savings and subsequently took his own life after being victimized by a "financial grooming" scam (also called "pig butchering"), in which a person posing as "Jessie" built an online relationship with him over months before pressuring him to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Financial grooming scams—where criminals establish trust with victims before luring them into fake investments—caused losses rising from $3.31 billion in 2022 to $4.57 billion in 2023, with individual victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars; the scams originate from criminal operations primarily in Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Philippines, where

Elderly adults aged 60 and older lost approximately $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, an 11% increase from the previous year, with scammers employing increasingly sophisticated tactics tailored to exploit seniors' wealth and vulnerabilities. The most common scams targeting seniors include romance scams (averaging $2,000 per victim), investment/cryptocurrency scams, gift card scams, texting scams, home improvement scams, and imposter scams, with scammers often using social media and high-pressure tactics to build trust before manipulating victims into sending money. Prevention strategies include staying connected with elderly loved ones, remaining skeptical of online connections, and being aware

In 2023, scams targeting older adults resulted in approximately $3.4 billion in losses, according to the FBI's Elder Fraud Report. Common schemes include romance scams, tech support fraud, grandparent scams, government impersonation, lottery scams, and home repair fraud, with perpetrators typically using intimidation tactics or appeals to family relationships to pressure victims into sending money. Experts recommend maintaining awareness, being cautious of high-pressure situations, and reporting suspected fraud as the best defenses against these schemes.

A 70-year-old widow in Santa Clara County, California lost $25,000 in a spoofing scam when a caller impersonating a Wells Fargo fraud department representative used her personal information to gain her trust and extract banking details. Over 90 minutes, the scammer obtained her account password and transaction information, then changed her contact number and authorized a fraudulent wire transfer while keeping her distracted on the phone. Scammers increasingly use spoofed caller IDs, personal data obtained from the dark web, and AI deepfakes to impersonate trusted institutions and individuals, making verification of legitimate contacts and independent confirmation essential protection strategies.

**Summary:** Scammers are targeting older adults through calls, texts, emails, and door-to-door visits, falsely offering free in-home services like cooking and cleaning while actually attempting to fraudulently enroll them in Medicare hospice care to bill for unnecessary services. Legitimate hospice care requires doctor certification that a patient has six months or less to live, and improper enrollment can negatively affect future Medicare coverage. Consumers should never share their Medicare number for "free" services, agree to hospice enrollment for gifts or money, or provide information to anyone claiming to be from Medicare at their door.

A 24-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested after defrauding a 79-year-old Tulare woman of $9,600 in a grandparent scam, where he impersonated a bail bondsman claiming her grandson had been arrested. Detectives followed a courier to a restaurant in Castaic where the suspect, Manuel Rivera Cueto, was apprehended attempting to flee with money from a second extortion attempt; he admitted to acting as a "mule" in approximately 10 similar schemes and revealed the operation's main orchestrators were based in the Dominican Republic.

During natural disasters, scammers exploit vulnerable victims by impersonating utility companies, FEMA, and contractors to steal personal information or money through pressure tactics and upfront fees. Protection measures include verifying identities by contacting organizations directly, never paying upfront fees for disaster aid or repairs, researching contractors thoroughly, and getting multiple estimates before hiring. If identity theft occurs, victims should immediately report it to the FTC, credit bureaus, and financial institutions to prevent further damage.

California's Insurance Commissioner and Los Angeles County District Attorney announced a joint initiative to combat insurance fraud targeting wildfire survivors, combining consumer education with enhanced prosecution efforts. The Department of Insurance has deployed teams to educate residents about their rights, verify contractor licenses, and enforce regulations including a mandatory seven-day waiting period before public adjusters can solicit business in disaster zones. Since 2019, the Department has distributed over $550 million statewide for fraud investigations and prosecutions, with free insurance support workshops being offered to help survivors understand claims processes and avoid common scams.

During the Los Angeles wildfires, scammers exploited disaster victims and donors through fake relief fundraisers impersonating celebrities like Kim Kardashian, fraudulent crowdfunding campaigns using stolen photos, fake charity websites, phishing emails posing as FEMA and the Red Cross, fake contractor services, and animal rescue scams. Security experts note that disaster scams proliferate because they combine vulnerability, urgency, and the public's desire to help, with perpetrators ranging from local individuals to organized crime syndicates. Potential victims should verify charities through official channels, avoid clicking unsolicited donation links, and be wary of upfront payment requests or overly urgent appeals

Seniors, particularly homeowners age 62 and older who control approximately $14 trillion in housing wealth, lose around $28.3 billion annually to financial exploitation from various perpetrators including family members (who commit two-thirds of verified cases), contractors, loan brokers, and caregivers. Common scams involve fraudulent reverse mortgages, home equity loans, and home improvement schemes, with notable cases including a loan broker exploiting a widow with dementia and a hairstylist depleting three women's assets. Family members and friends should discuss major financial decisions with elderly relatives, ask critical questions about who benefits from transactions, and watch for red flags like isolation from family, missing statements

After natural disasters like wildfires and floods, scammers exploit vulnerable victims by impersonating government agencies (FEMA, utilities) and contractors to steal personal information or demand upfront payments for aid and repair services. People in heightened emotional states should verify callers directly with organizations, be skeptical of urgency tactics, and confirm contractor licenses and insurance before paying anything. The FTC advises that legitimate FEMA aid is always free, and recommends getting multiple estimates, reviewing online complaints, and monitoring credit reports for signs of identity theft or fraud.

Following wildfires in Los Angeles, California issued emergency protections against price gouging through January 2026, limiting price increases to 10% on housing, materials, and services. State Attorney General Rob Bonta warned of multiple scams targeting displaced residents, including fake charities, contractor fraud demanding deposits, and impersonation schemes targeting elderly individuals, immigrants, and non-English speakers; violators of price gouging laws face up to $10,000 in fines and jail time.

During natural disasters like wildfires and floods, scammers impersonate FEMA officials, utility companies, and contractors to prey on vulnerable victims by requesting personal information, charging fraudulent fees for disaster aid, or demanding upfront cash payments for repairs. The FTC warns disaster victims to verify contact through official channels, avoid anyone creating urgency or requesting immediate payment, and conduct background checks on contractors before hiring. In 2023 alone, the FTC received reports of approximately 1 million identity theft cases, 2.6 million fraud cases, and 1.9 million other scam reports.

Patrick Wall, a 24-year-old Irish man, was arrested in Nassau County, Long Island, and released on bail after allegedly defrauding elderly homeowners of approximately $100,000 through a home repair scam spanning from September 2023 to his arrest. Wall would pose as a masonry worker, identify repair needs at elderly victims' homes, then deliberately cause additional damage and inflate repair costs to extract inflated payments and cheques. He faces charges of larceny, conspiracy, fraud, and criminal mischief, with police seeking additional victims to come forward.

Rural Americans face unique vulnerabilities to fraud due to geographic isolation, limited access to resources, and higher concentrations of older adults who report larger financial losses to scams. Rural residents are more reliant on online services for shopping, may turn to online dating platforms due to limited in-person social opportunities, and often encounter barriers to reporting scams including decreased government trust, lack of support services, and social stigma. Scammers exploit these vulnerabilities through various schemes including online shopping fraud, romance scams, and disaster relief impersonation, yet rural fraud trends remain largely undocumented because most consumer protection agencies do not differentiate data by population density.

A woman in New Hope became the victim of a romance scam after sending her entire life savings ($20,000) via FedEx to an online boyfriend who did not actually exist. Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins highlighted this case while warning the public about multiple prevalent scams, including phone spoofing schemes impersonating the sheriff's office, utility companies, and government agencies, as well as employment, cryptocurrency, lottery, and tech support scams. Hawkins emphasized that scammers are sophisticated professionals and advised victims to hang up and call official numbers directly rather than staying on suspicious calls.

Bank insiders, particularly lower-paid employees, are leaking sensitive customer account information to scammers, creating a significant vulnerability in financial institutions' security controls. This internal data breach has emerged as a critical risk factor enabling sophisticated scams that target Americans' life savings and poses substantial security gaps in the banking industry.

This educational guide defines scams as illegal schemes designed to steal money or personal information, and describes current fraud methods including "quishing" (fake QR codes at parking meters), fraudulent text messages impersonating government energy credit schemes, and spoofed business emails requesting payment. The article provides protective measures such as avoiding QR code payments, using multi-factor authentication, verifying websites through cybersecurity tools, recognizing warning signs (unsolicited contacts, pressure to act quickly, grammatical errors), and safeguarding personal information by only sharing details in initiated communications and checking website security features.

Patrick and Matthew McDonagh, two brothers from Co Fermanagh, were sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud against elderly homeowners across the United States. The brothers defrauded victims nationwide by falsely claiming homes needed urgent repairs (roof holes, foundation cracks, driveway work), extracting over $1 million total—including $435,000 from a single Shoreline homeowner through aggressive, daily demands for checks and wire transfers. They have agreed to pay restitution exceeding $1 million to victims in Washington, Oregon, Illinois, and other states.

"Senior Savvy: A Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Scams" is an educational resource released by financial expert Andy LaPointe that teaches seniors to recognize and prevent fraud across multiple platforms, including phishing emails, social media scams, cryptocurrency schemes, romance scams, and door-to-door deception. The guide provides step-by-step explanations, real-world examples, and actionable strategies for responding to scams, with particular emphasis on protecting seniors during high-risk periods like the holiday season when scammer activity increases.

Louigi Frank, 35, was arrested on December 12 for operating a driveway repair scam targeting elderly residents through his company Seal Coat Pro. Frank and his wife approached an 89-year-old Bedminster Township resident claiming they had extra sealcoat material, then charged her $7,000 for unnecessary driveway work. Police report this is a common scam targeting seniors using the "extra material" sales pitch, and are asking other potential victims to contact Officer Jim Browne at 215-795-2972 ext. 108.

Cleveland County Court Clerk's Office warned residents of a jury duty scam involving fraudsters using fake arrest warrants and demanding payment via phone, email, or in-person visits, with at least one reported case where scammers appeared at someone's door with a fake warrant demanding payment in gift cards. The court clarified that legitimate jury duty communications are only sent by U.S. mail and never request payment, and that no Cleveland County resident has been fined or jailed for missing jury duty under the current clerk. Residents are advised to call 911 if approached in person by suspected scammers and to alert vulnerable loved ones, especially during the holiday season.

New Hampshire's Assistant Attorney General Alexandra Sosnowski warns consumers about holiday shopping scams, particularly those occurring online during the Christmas season. Key recommendations include verifying retailer URLs and checking reviews on trusted sources like the Better Business Bureau before purchasing, monitoring package deliveries to prevent porch theft, avoiding clicking links in unsolicited text messages claiming delivery issues, and purchasing gift cards directly from retailers to avoid tampered cards. The alert emphasizes taking extra time to verify sources and using tracking information directly from retailers rather than through suspicious links.

Door-to-door contractor Adam Waldrop, 23, was arrested and charged with eight felony counts and one misdemeanor for allegedly scamming at least two Los Altos elderly women out of a combined $4,750 for roofing and garage-door repairs he never performed in February and March 2024. Waldrop, who used at least 13 aliases including Billy Thomas Wilson, also faces additional warrants in Merced and Oregon, and police suspect he is connected to scams in other states.

Federal, state, and local authorities warn that scams targeting seniors are rising, particularly during the holiday season, with common schemes including charity fraud, grandparent scams, romance scams, tech support scams, and government impersonation scams. Authorities advise seniors to avoid phishing emails, use secure networks for online purchases, verify websites and charities before donating, and be cautious of unsolicited offers. Victims can report suspected fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov), their state attorney general, or local law enforcement.

Andy LaPointe, a retired registered investment advisor, held a book signing event on November 27, 2024, for *Senior Savvy: A Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Scams*, a resource designed to help seniors recognize and protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The book covers common scams targeting seniors—including phishing, cryptocurrency schemes, and door-to-door fraud—and provides practical guidance on internet safety, password creation, and recovery steps if victimized. Organizations can purchase bulk editions with customized branding to strengthen fraud prevention efforts in their communities.

A 35-year-old Oakland man, Zhongqiang Chen, was arrested on November 14 after scamming an elderly Stanislaus County woman out of $30,000 through a fake McAfee antivirus email that gave him remote access to her computer. Chen transferred $60,000 from her money market account, convinced her she owed him that amount, and collected an initial $30,000 payment before being arrested in an undercover operation when he arrived to collect the remaining $30,000. The case remains under investigation to determine if there are additional victims.

Scammers stole over $1.6 billion from victims in the first five months of 2024—a 20% increase from 2023—though actual numbers are higher due to underreporting. Researcher Nichole Lighthall at UCF's Adult Development and Decision Lab found that while most older adults recognize scams as a problem, they feel disempowered to prevent them, and scams range from minor losses of $50 to financially catastrophic amounts. Lighthall's research aims to empower seniors with knowledge and solutions, noting that modern scammers use increasingly relentless tactics like impersonation texts, robo-calls, and social engineering because

A fraud awareness forum in Youngstown hosted by Jewish Family and Community Services attracted 126 seniors to learn prevention strategies from Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova. The program covered major scam tactics including phishing text links, romance and catfishing schemes, AI voice impersonation, home improvement fraud, and warned against sharing personal information on social media that could endanger children or be used to answer security questions.